Children on the streets, welcoming daycare in the city environment

Abstract:

Daycares near city centers use public streets every day. This practicum looks at how spaces on a commercial street could be modified to help daycare participants become more comfortable and more involved in their surroundings. A literature review was conducted in order to unearth how young children grow and learn, the role of play in their growth, their perception and use of space, the unique role that public space plays in a child's introduction to its world and current ideas about designing outdoor spaces for children. All of these issues are discussed in order to lay a foundation for the analysis and exploration of a commercial street frequently used by one Winnipeg daycare. Caregivers and children's concerns are taken into consideration in the final suggestions for street modification. Safety, access, comfort, wayfinding, belonging, understanding and delight are factors of street design that are presented as being important to the caregiver and the child. Some suggestions are made for paving design and various other street details. Two sites along the street are chosen for more intensive design modifications.